Level Up (A5E) Do you want more monster complexity?

[Ralif Redhammer]

I am quite happy with 5e's monster design. The pages-long stat blocks of 3e was a big part of what drove me away from that edition. That being said, I think there's absolutely a place for complicated showstopper monsters. I don't need a complicated dire wolf stat block, but The Lord of All Dire Wolves, now that I could get behind.

 

[Stalker0]

The pages-long stat blocks of 3e was a big part of what drove me away from that edition.

completely agree, and I don’t think many are asking for a return to that. 3e’s problem was the belief that monsters had to follow the same rules as PCs, so effectively every monster was a character sheet.

4e and 5e went back to the notion that monsters were monsters by gum...destined to die, with only as much paper space as needed to do that.

this to me is the right way to do it, and we should keep that. But from that chassis there is plenty of room for new interesting abilities.

 

[NotAYakk]

I want encounter tools more than monster tools.

Whrn fighting 10 orcs and a chieftan, I don't need the rule for hiw it works to be in the chief, but I want to be able to toggle a switch as the DM and do something.

I want a simple and sensible morale system that I can fold into encounter design.

I want giants who feel like giants.

I want monsters that telegraph threats to make the battlefield dynamic.

I want to be able to turn knobs and make fights harder or easier.

 

[R_J_K75]

The pages-long stat blocks of 3e was a big part of what drove me away from that edition.

Some people, including myself, would like to see a return of the 2E monster write ups that included much more than just mechanical stats. I'm not big on a whole page of mechanics myself, its the less crunchier stuff Im after.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

The 2e monster details helped come up with adventures, whereas for me, the 3e details did the opposite.

Some people, including myself, would like to see a return of the 2E monster write ups that included much more than just mechanical stats. I'm not big on a whole page of mechanics myself, its the less crunchier stuff Im after.

 

[R_J_K75]

The 2e monster details helped come up with adventures, whereas for me, the 3e details did the opposite.

Yeah thats why out of all the D&D books I've sold over the years I always kept my 2E MM's so I can reference for the cool details that helped flesh out their lairs and the areas they inhabited. How many there were, all that stuff definitely was missed by me when it was removed. 9 out of 10 times when I start to write an adventure the first thing I do is research a monster across various editions then proceed from there.

 

[shadowoflameth]

I use many henchmen type monsters out of the book, but a boss in an adventure is usually something unique. Personally, I'd like to see more customizing options like those for Cambions and Tieflings in the recent Avernus book. I've used those quite a bit in adventure design.

 

[werecorpse]

As mentioned above additions in the style of DMs options: Monster Talents at DMs Guild is very useful and the way to go imo.

 

[Shiroiken]

While a bit more variety of abilities might be nice, I think the biggest need is for a description of common tactics. One problem with monsters is DMs forgetting to have them use standard actions not in the monster stat block. For example, I recently ran an encounter where the party was running across a plain with flying dinosaurs (can't remember the name) on their tail; I had them try to grapple the PCs, rather than attack them, which scared the player far more than simple damage would have (most of the damage the party took was falling damage). This was a far more interesting than a simple fight, and all it took was thinking outside the box.

 

[R_J_K75]

While a bit more variety of abilities might be nice, I think the biggest need is for a description of common tactics. One problem with monsters is DMs forgetting to have them use standard actions not in the monster stat block. For example, I recently ran an encounter where the party was running across a plain with flying dinosaurs (can't remember the name) on their tail; I had them try to grapple the PCs, rather than attack them, which scared the player far more than simple damage would have (most of the damage the party took was falling damage). This was a far more interesting than a simple fight, and all it took was thinking outside the box.

This reminds me of an old encounter our DM threw at us in a Darksun game. We were in the middle of a desert scrub plain. We heard some noise off in the distance, felt ground shake and saw a gigantic dust cloud off in the distance. Turned out to be a heard of large creatures stampeding towards us. I honestly cant remember what they were, how the encounter was resolved mechanically other than it couldve ended very deadly even though fighting wasnt even an option. We had to make a series of checks, take damage, dodge, or try and jump up and ride them, etc. Definitely could use more encounters like these.